Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Hails Spirit of Dialogue, Collaboration, as Pacific Regional Seminar on Decolonization Concludes
(Received from a UN Information Officer.)
BALI, Indonesia, 26 May — Achieving progress for the world’s 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories will require prioritizing inclusion and sustainable development, Indonesia’s Deputy Foreign Minister said today, as the three-day Pacific regional seminar on decolonization concluded.
“There is no one-size-fits-all formula,” Tri Tharyat, Deputy Minister for Multilateral Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, reaffirmed, saying the decolonization process requires “careful, thorough consideration”.
Welcoming the current momentum in the United Nations decolonization agenda, he said the past three days of discussions will pave the way for visible steps to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) further in the Territories.
Menissa Rambally (Saint Lucia), Chair of the Special Committee on Decolonization, said this year’s forum reached welcome consensus and thanked all participants for the manner in which they held their constructive dialogue in the spirit of multilateralism. This, she said, has enabled the successful deliberations — held again in the Pacific region after 9 years.
During the final session, the participants adopted the Seminar’s procedural report (document PRS/2023/CRP.4), as orally revised, including the draft resolution expressing appreciation to the Government and people of Indonesia as host. The seminar’s Rapporteur presented both documents.
They also agreed on the conclusions and recommendations (document PRS/2023/CRP.4) of the seminar, for consideration and adoption subsequent to the holding of the Seminar during the substantive session in June 2023.
Held under the auspices of 29-member Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, the regional seminar focused under the theme “Innovative steps to ensure the attainment of the SDGs in the Non-Self-Governing Territories”. (For further information, see Press Releases GA/COL/3367 of 25 May, GA/COL/3366 of 24 May, and GA/COL/3365 of 22 May).
Those 17 Territories, home to some 2 million people, include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas)*, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Guam, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Tokelau, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Virgin Islands and Western Sahara. The administering Powers are France, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States.
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* A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).